. : Sebastian of Havfrue : .

"I don't know why you are moping so much," Sebastian spoke. He was sitting on his bed, hands braced on his thighs. The eggshell breeches were tight, and his coat and vest laid haphazardly across his pillow. He had been in the process of buttoning up his white shirt when Tedros dragged himself back into the room. "You made it through the Trial by Tale."

Tedros looked up at him; his eyes were red-rimmed. "I fell for it. I thought she was going to be the next Queen of Camelot," He twisted so he was on his side instead of his stomach on his bed. "Instead, I've made a fool of myself and of the school. I got saved by a girl, and nearly got myself killed, all trying to prove that Sophie was in the wrong school when she clearly isn't."

Sebastian huffed, running a hand over his face and threading it through his auburn hair. Tedros had been sulking for days now, ignoring everything he could. He loved the man like a brother, but this was one of two things that were frustrating him.

He hadn't heard a peep from Laura since the trial ended. The magic was eating at his soul, taking away little bits of happiness. He could feel any semblance of joy leeching from him, leaving him with nothing but sadness, frustration, and anger. Sebastian was beginning to see how it could drive a person insane. All he wanted was for it to either be gone or for it to be under control. Not to mention he was fucking cold. All the time. Even in swordplay, he was shivering.

"Tedros, are you going to leave the room today?" 

Sebastian looked up as Nikolas entered the room. The tall dark-skinned boy glanced at Tedros, and then back at Sebastian, who shook his head. 

Nikolas shrugged and grabbed his coat off his bed. "I'll bring you back some food before class."

Sebastian waited until Nikolas had left the room before speaking again. "Tedros, I understand that you are upset. I understand that it sucks being embarrassed, but for fuck's sake you are acting like your father," It was a low blow and Sebastian knew it, but anything to get the damn boy out of bed. "You messed up! But guess what, good still goes on. Only the best evil can disguise itself as good, so you fell for it. You need to get your ass out of bed and get back to work. You can still win this fight, but only if you go back to your life!"

The room was silent for a moment, and Sebastian nearly regretted his outburst, until Tedros let out a heavy breath and sat up. 

"Fine," Tedros spoke. "But don't ever fucking compare me to my father again."

Sebastian nodded once but remained seated, watching Tedros dress and comb his hair. He didn't look entirely better, but at least he was moving.

Sebastian stood and finished dressing, ignoring the way anger and stress dragged sharp nails along his spine. The magic was acting up. Finally, both boys were out of the door and in the hallway. 

"You should really thank Agatha as well," Sebastian spoke, once Tedros had visibly calmed. "She did save your life."

Tedros snapped crystal blue eyes to his face, scanning. "Are you okay? You've been acting weird."

Sebastian glanced at Tedros before turning his gaze back to the hall as they walked to the long staircase. "I am fine."

It didn't seem enough to satisfy Tedros, but he didn't press it. A small wave of guilt pushed at Sebastian's conscious. He didn't like keeping secrets from Tedros, but he feared for his friend's safety. He knew it had created a rift between them, yet he didn't say anything.

They climbed down the stairs, their boots clicking on the glass until they got to the bottom. 

They approached the banquet hall, and Sebastian hesitated. Laura leaned against the wall outside. Her chocolate brown hair had been braided and pulled back into a bun, and she wore the pink-coloured uniform, looking entirely unimpressed with him as they approached. In one hand, she held a few black discs.

She made eye contact with him and frowned. 

"Is she waiting for someone?" Tedros murmured as they approached the banquet hall.

Sebastian hummed back. "Yes, you go in. I'll come in after you."

Tedros glared at Sebastian, suspicion in his eyes. Sebastian suppressed the urge to squirm in his spot. "Fine."

Sebastian waited until Tedros had vanished into the noisy banquet hall. "What do you want?"

Laura eyed him for a second, and Sebastian's annoyance spiked when he realized that the shoes made her near his height. "When is your next class?"

The question perplexed Sebastian. "Not for an hour and a half. Why?"

"You haven't eaten yet today?"

"No," Sebastian's brows furrowed, and he made to speak more, but stopped as Beatrix and a few other Ever girls he didn't know walked out of the banquet hall. They stared at the two of them, before dissolving into whispers as they scurried off. "Why?"

She didn't answer. "The magic is starting to crawl up your spine, right? Eat at your feelings?"

Sebastian didn't respond and she smiled. 

"Training starts now," Laura spoke. "Let's go."

With that, she took off towards the door. Sebastian stared after her for a second, confusion sending his mind spiralling. 

"Let's go!" She shouted back.

Sebastian shook his head and jogged to catch up with her.

~~~

Laura led them to the same garden Sebastian had been in before the trial. The wish fish were no longer there, and the water glistened in the sunlight. The hedges were all covered in a layer of frost and only seemed to chill Sebastian off more until he was shivering.

He eyed Laura, who seemed completely at ease in the short dress, despite the bite in the air. "Are you not cold?"

"No. The first lesson," Laura spoke, spinning to face him from a few metres away. "The most important thing to know about controlling the magic is you must release it."

Sebastian stared at her. "What does that mean?"

"You are freezing right now, right?" She asked. She didn't wait for him to answer before continuing. "That is because you aren't releasing the magic. If it builds up, your body will eventually shut down from how cold it is, your mind will go crazy, and it will all around be a horrible time."

"So why aren't you cold?" Sebastian asked.

"Because my magic is entirely opposite yours. I let it build up and I boil inside."

That would be why she wasn't cold.

"The second lesson," Laura spoke, gripping the discs. "Magic follows emotion, stronger emotion means stronger magic."

Sebastian pursed his lips. The magic did seem to rile up whenever he was angry or upset. He shoved his hands into his pockets to hide them from the cold. "Is there any actual magic involved in this training?"

Laura snorted. "Knock the discs down."

She chucked the black discs in the air, and Sebastian stared for a second. Should he let the magic go? It would be nice to be warm again. But if he did, there was no turning back. He was learning how to control the magic. He watched the discs arc through the arm and swallowed tightly. Nobody needed to know.

Sebastian twisted, moving through what felt natural, and moved one hand towards the discs. Water from the pond shot up and smashed into the discs, sending them shattering to the ground.

With the motion, came the tiniest release of pressure. He squeezed his eyes shut and breathed out. There was no turning back. He was learning to control the magic.

"Good, now block this,"

Sebastian's eyes snapped open, as a mini ball of fire shot at his head. He shot a hand up, and the magic followed. The fire vanished into a ball of steam. The magic preened, happy to finally have some use. Sebastian shifted uncomfortably. He didn't like the way the magic seemed to join his bloodstream and his mind. He squeezed his eyes shut again.

"You're very stiff," 

Laura's voice had him reopening his eyes.

"What do you mean?"

Laura hummed and stepped closer. Sebastian shifted as the magic jumped at her proximity. He wanted to shove her back, and stop her from doing this to him. "Water is a fluid element, it is associated with passion, intuition, and patience, along with winter and the direction west. If you want to properly use it, you must become more fluid. Move like water."

Sebastian raised an eyebrow. "What about fire?"

"They are opposites," She responded, stepping next to him, as though to guide him through movements. "Fire is a dry element, associated with energy, assertiveness, and passion, as well as summer and the direction east."

"You don't seem like a passionate or energetic individual," Sebastian commented, narrowing his eyes at her.

"Yeah, that'll happen when you fight a war and watch kids die," She snapped back.

Sebastian flushed, guilt spiking again, and averted his gaze. He shifted slightly. She was uncomfortably close, and he could feel the heat radiating off her body. 

"Besides," She continued. "It's the magic itself that is like that. I am merely a placeholder, someone to keep the cardinal balance until my time is finished."

Sebastian twisted to face her entirely. She was messing with his magic, certainly. "You are incredibly horrible at explaining."

Laura glared at him. Her eyes were so dark they were almost black. "Would you like to learn yourself?" She waited and Sebastian remained silent. "That's what I thought. The cardinal balance is everything. It is the reason we are standing here, it is the reason the grass is green, magic exists, good and evil fight and win, and even the reason for hair colours. Without the cardinal balance, we would enter a state of instability, where everything would crumble into nothing but darkness. The Council of Magic is ten sages chosen to protect and preserve the cardinal balance."

Sebastian swallowed. He had thought this would be a simple case of learning to use the magic and then controlling it. "Why was I chosen?"

Laura shrugged. "I don't know why anyone is chosen. Clearly, the magic thought you were the best choice."

"And if I'm not?" Sebastian asked, trying to shove down the self-doubt that rose.

"I don't know," Laura spoke, her voice calm and quiet. "The magic picks, not anyone else."

For some reason, the magic had chosen him, and Sebastian was beginning to question whether he could ever learn to suppress the magic safely.

~~~

A/N 

Hello all!

Here is a surprise chapter, and I hope you all enjoyed it. As always, feel free to leave comments, because very soon, some things are going to happen.

Until next time

~ Indigo